Wish List

With the current discussion about creating a single national farming body in place of the various State-based organisations such as the TFGA (see item 5. below) , I just realised the National Farmers Federation does not regard forestry as a primary industry. Very curious! They don’t regard Australia’s wine industry as a primary industry either. Clearly the NFF has a pretty myopic view of the rural sector.

The forest industry in Tasmania is heading towards oblivion, at least the part of the industry dependent on the public native forest resource. Decades of poor policy, politics and conflict have reduced the industry to a smoking ruin. But we seem to have trouble learning from past mistakes and from other people’s successes. Getting people to invest in the forest industry (from planting trees to investing in sawmilling and processing equipment) just won’t happen under the current regime. So here is my one dozen wish list:

We need to start thinking of forestry as a primary industry and not as a Government-run, politically-driven, employment program. Sure it has a few unique features like a long investment time lag, but forestry is about business and profits; markets, costs and prices. It is not about politics or employment! Most wood now grown and sold in Australia comes from private tree growers. It…